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6 lines
11 KiB
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<p>We now come to the second part of this chapter, which contains Paul’s devout and affectionate prayer to God for his beloved Ephesians.—<i>For this cause</i>. This may be referred either to the immediately <a class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.13" href="/passage/?search=Eph.3.13">Eph. 3:13</a>; <i>That you faint not</i>, etc., or, rather, the apostle is here resuming what he began at the <a class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.1" href="/passage/?search=Eph.3.1">Eph. 3:1</a>; from which he digressed in those which are interposed. Observe,</p>
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<p class="tab-1">I. To whom he prays—to God, as <i>the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ</i>, of which see <a class="bibleref" title="Eph.1.3" href="/passage/?search=Eph.1.3">Eph. 1:3</a>.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">II. His outward posture in prayer, which was humble and reverent: <i>I bow my knees</i>. Note, When we draw nigh to God, we should reverence him in our hearts, and express our reverence in the most suitable and becoming behaviour and gesture. Here, having mentioned Christ, he cannot pass without an honourable encomium of his love, <a class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.15" href="/passage/?search=Eph.3.15">Eph. 3:15</a>. The universal church has a dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ: <i>Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named</i>. The Jews were wont to boast of Abraham as their father, but now Jews and Gentiles are both denominated from Christ (so some); while others understand it of the saints in heaven, who wear the crown of glory, and of saints on earth who are going on in the work of grace here. Both the one and the other make but one family, one household; and from him they are <i>named</i> CHRISTIANS, as they really are such, acknowledging their dependence upon, and their relation to, Christ.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">III. What the apostle asks of God for these his friends—spiritual blessings, which are the best blessings, and the most earnestly to be sought and prayed for by every one of us, both for ourselves and for our friends. 1. Spiritual strength for the work and duty to which they were called, and in which they were employed: <i>That he would grant you, according to the riches of his grace, to be strengthened</i>, etc. <i>The inner man</i> is the heart or soul. To be <i>strengthened with might</i> is to be mightily strengthened, much more than they were at present; to be endued with a high degree of grace, and spiritual abilities for discharging duty, resisting temptations, enduring persecutions, etc. And the apostle prays that this may be <i>according to the riches of his glory</i>, or according to his glorious riches—answerable to that great abundance of grace, mercy, and power, which resides in God, and is his glory: and this by his Spirit, who is the immediate worker of grace in the souls of God’s people. Observe from these things, That strength from the Spirit of God in the inner man is the best and most desirable strength, strength in the soul, the strength of faith and other graces, strength to serve God and to do our duty, and to persevere in our Christian course with vigour and with cheerfulness. And let us further observe that <i>as the work of grace is first begun so it is continued and carried on, by the blessed Spirit of God</i>. 2. The indwelling of Christ in their hearts, <a class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.17" href="/passage/?search=Eph.3.17">Eph. 3:17</a>. Christ is said to dwell in his people, as he is always present with them by his gracious influences and operations. Observe, It is a desirable thing to have Christ dwell in our hearts; and if the law of Christ be written there, and the love of Christ be shed abroad there, then Christ dwells there. Christ is an inhabitant in the soul of every good Christian. Where his spirit dwells, there he swells; and he dwells in the heart by faith, by means of the continual exercise of faith upon him. Faith opens the door of the soul, to receive Christ; faith admits him, and submits to him. By faith we are united to Christ, and have an interest in him. 3. The fixing of pious and devout affections in the soul: <i>That you being rooted and grounded in love</i>, stedfastly fixed in your love to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to all the saints, the beloved of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many have some love to God and to his servants, but it is a flash, like the crackling of thorns under a pot, it makes a great noise, but is gone presently. We should earnestly desire that good affections may be fixed in us, that we may be <i>rooted and grounded in love</i>. Some understand it of their being settled and established in the sense of God’s love to them, which would inspire them with greater ardours of holy love to him, and to one another. And how very desirable is it to have a settled fixed sense of the love of God and Christ to our souls, so as to be able to say with the apostle at all times, <i>He has loved me</i>! Now the best way to attain this is to be careful that we maintain a constant love to God in our souls; this will be the evidence of the love of God to us. <i>We love him, because he first loved us</i>. In order to this he prays, 4. For their experimental acquaintance with the love of Jesus Christ. The more intimate acquaintance we have with Christ’s love to us, the more our love will be drawn out to him, and to those who are his, for his sake: <i>That you may be able to comprehend with all saints</i>, etc. (<a class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.18,Eph.3.19" href="/passage/?search=Eph.3.18,Eph.3.19"><span class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.18">Eph. 3:18</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.19">19</span></a>); that is, more clearly to understand, and firmly to believe, the wonderful love of Christ to his, which the saints do understand and believe in some measure, and shall understand more hereafter. Christians should not aim to comprehen
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<p class="tab-1">The apostle closes the chapter with a doxology, <a class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.20,Eph.3.21" href="/passage/?search=Eph.3.20,Eph.3.21"><span class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.20">Eph. 3:20</span>, <span class="bibleref" title="Eph.3.21">21</span></a>. It is proper to conclude our prayers with praises. Our blessed Saviour has taught us to do so. Take notice how he describes God, and how he ascribes glory to him. He describes him as a God that <i>is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think</i>. There is an inexhaustible fulness of grace and mercy in God, which the prayers of all the saints can never draw dry. Whatever we may ask, or think to ask, still God is still able to do more, abundantly more, exceedingly abundantly more. Open thy mouth ever so wide, still he hath wherewithal to fill it. Note, In our applications to God we should encourage our faith by a consideration of his all-sufficiency and almighty power. <i>According to the power which worketh in us</i>. As if he had said, We have already had a proof of this power of God, in what he hath wrought in us and done for us, having quickened us by his grace, and converted us to himself. The power that still worketh for the saints is according to that power that hath wrought in them. Wherever God gives of his fulness he gives to experience his power. Having thus described God, he ascribes glory to him. When we come to ask for grace from God, we ought to give glory to God. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus. In ascribing glory to God, we ascribe all excellences and perfections to him, glory being the effulgency and result of them all. Observe, The seat of God’s praises is in the church. That little rent of praise which God receives from this world is from the church, a sacred society constituted for the glory of God, every particular member of which, both Jew and Gentile, concurs in this work of praising God. The Mediator of these praises is Jesus Christ. All God’s gifts come from his to us through the hand of Christ; and all our praises pass from us to him through the same hand. And God should and will be praised thus <i>throughout all ages, world without end</i>; for he will ever have a church to praise him, and he will ever have his tribute of praise from his church. <i>Amen</i>. So be it; and so it will certainly be.</p>
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